Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda series do not, repeat, not belong to me. They rightfully belong to Miyamoto. (May he continue to make excellent games for the rest of his days.) What does belong to me are Cleo, Finn, Syrilla and Okam (sorta).

Defross and Glacia also belong to me.

Chapter 10

"Hold still, you're quite bruised up." Zelda was tending to those bruises Finn had gotten from the fall.

"You're the landlady, you should consider firing your two doormen," he grumbled.

"I'm very sorry about that." She applied another dab of medicine to him. Finn flinched. "You must have a reason for coming here. What happen this time and where is your sister, Cleo?"

"That's the thing, I don't know. I can only guess that she's in the Twilight Realm."

Zelda was about to add another dose but then stopped. "How did this happen?" Finn told her all about the treasure hunt for the Moon Pearl with Syrilla and how it ended in disaster. "If what you say is true, then your guess was correct. She is in the Twilight Realm, however I don't believe she has fallen into darkness completely."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean if she still has the Moon Pearl, one of the Essences of Light, then she hasn't turned into a lost spirit."

"Essences of what?"

"There's a legend around them, Midna once told me about them." Then Zelda told Finn the tale of their purpose for the Twilight Realm and how they always disappear into twilight every dusk and dawn.

"So that's why she vanished, talk about bad timing! So how come she hasn't tried to come back if she's not a lost spirit? I'm sure she would've contacted me with our cellphones if she had."

"I don't know. There must be some reason why she hasn't returned yet."

"It better be a good reason, otherwise I'll kill her! So what am I suppose to do now? I can't just sit here and wait, I need to get to her. But how can I enter the Twilight Realm without becoming a lost spirit?"

"I think there is a way... maybe..."

Finn looked anxious. "What is it?"

"Give me your hand." Finn was unsure about her suggestion but did as told. Zelda held it in her left hand and placed her right over it. He could see the Triforce of Wisdom illuminated on the back of her right hand and it began to glow, brighter and brighter. He suddenly felt a calming sensation, a feeling of warmth, as if drenched in liquid made of sunlight, seeping through his body from where she held his hand. Then the Triforce disappeared from her hand. She finally let go and smiled. "I always knew that wisdom was your greatest virtue." Finn stared at his own hand, speechless and wide-eyed. The Triforce of Wisdom was now in his possession.

Cleo was sitting stiffly, one of her legs jiggling. Midna approached her and Cleo got up quickly. "How is he?" she asked with anxiety.

"I did the best I could with my magic. He'll need time to recover. Maybe you should keep your mind off this by finding the next essence."

Cleo hung her head. "I can't do it without him. He has been a great help... he knows things, he knows how to fight and has been guiding me."

"You and Jack have become close, I can tell. While I was trying to heal him, I heard him talking softly to himself. I think he was dreaming."

"What did he say?"

"He said, 'I must return home... save my homeland... I must defeat...'"

"Defeat... what? Who?"

Midna shook her head. "I'm afraid that's all he said. One thing's for sure, his memories are slowly returning."

"Good news! I know where the next essence is." Okam had walked in, looking rather cheerful but then looked at the two. "Hey, what's with the glum looks?"

"Jack is sick," Cleo answered shortly.

"Oh uh, I'm sorry." But by his tone, he didn't sound sorry and Cleo felt another pang of annoyance from him. "Well anyway, the next one is called the Aurora Stream and it is located on the top of Prisms Peak. It's near Snyor Village, so you'll have to take the most southern warp in Castle Town. I'll escort you there right now."

"Uh, hello! I can't leave without Jack."

"Oh right, I forgot. He's your handicap."

"Are you trying to get on my bad side again?"

Okam jumped at her outburst. "Okay! I take back the handicap," he said quickly, looking a bit sheepish.

"Cleo?" They all turned and realized that Jack had awoken. "Are we ready to go?"

"Jack, are you sure you're well enough to travel?" Cleo asked with concern.

"Yes, I am sure. Do not worry, I am fine now."

Cleo smiled. "Alright, lets split."

"Split? Split what?" Jack asked. Cleo couldn't help but laugh. He had definitely recovered.

Cleo appeared in an arctic field with Jack and quickly realized that she had forgot to bundle up. But she couldn't turn back now, it would waste too much time. They trudged through the snow as she shivered. To her envy, Jack didn't seem bothered by the cold. They came to a high walled fortress and a guard let them in after she stated her important business and showed the Skribal Sword. The town within was made of stone and ice and the inhabitants had rounded heads and bodies, almost flat arms, legless feet, beaks on their faces and glowing tufts of feathers on their heads.

As the pair looked around, trying to find a lead, there was a loud cry. "STOP, THIEF!" Cleo saw a Twili running with a bag over his shoulder and one of the Snyor villagers was chasing him. She ran in front of the thief and swiped her sword at him. He dropped the bag in surprise and ran off. Cleo picked up the bag when the victim waddled to her, panting. "Thank you so much for helping me. I knew I would never get it back on my own without help..." He did a double take at her. "Wait, I've never seen anything or anyone like you before! Where are you from?"

"Uh, I'm from Earth."

"I've never heard of that place... huh!"

"Sir, your bag?" Cleo held it out.

"Oh yes! Again thank you! A thousand thank yous! No amount of gratitude will ever repay-"

"Whoa, all that is not necessary!" Cleo exclaimed, blushing in awkwardness.

"Oh but it is. You see, this bag contains a music box."

"Okay... I take it it's valuable?"

"What's this? You mean you don't know what it's for?" Cleo shook her head. "The music box is meant to unite two lovers into a happy life together. As the music plays, the pair would take each others hand and dance to the music. If both accept this dance, then once the music ends, they will be husband and wife."

"So the box is for a wedding ceremony," said Jack.

"Of course, it's the custom of the Snyor Village."

"That sounds beautiful. Are you engaged?" Cleo asked.

"Indeed, to Glacia."

"Well then, congratulations Mr..."

"Defross."

"Can I watch the wedding?"

"Of course you can, it'll take place at the town square later today."

Suddenly, there was a loud bell ringing in one of the wall towers. The people started to run and scream. "What is happening?" Jack asked urgently.

"It's the insect army! They're trying to get into the fortress again!" Defross shouted over the cries of panic.

"Take cover Defross! Maybe I can do something about that." After he left, Cleo and Jack ran to the wall and climbed up the ladder. Reaching the walkway, they could now see the army heading this way.

The guards readied their mounted crossbows and started firing away. To Cleo's utter surprise, guns had appeared on the backs of the beetles that shot lasers. "What sorcery is this?!" Jack blurted, dubiously. The lasers managed to hit several archers at once, Cleo ducked to avoid the shots.

"I've never seen anything like that before! Where the hell did they get such weapons?"

"I do not know, but we have lost half the guards already. There will not be enough to stop the army from getting in."

Cleo equipped Sagittarius and joined in the shooting. She fired at the laser guns first before aiming for the beetles themselves, all while dodging enemy fire. Hitting them was difficult because of the wind and she was thankful that she played Wii Sports archery a lot. She was at it for ten minutes and had shot over fifty beetles. But now they were about to reach the wall.

"Madam! Madam!" Cleo looked down behind her. Defross had returned and climbed up the ladder to her. "I was told that you carry the Skribal Sword. So I came as soon as I could to give you something. Here, take it." He placed, in her palm, a rune that read Salamander. "I hope this will help."

Cleo smiled. "Thank you!" Defross went back down the ladder. "Let's try this out." Once the rune was activated, the blade temporarally ignited with a fiery aura. Seeing a sample of its power, she ran to the nearest snow pile outside the wall. She leaped down and ran toward the army, taunting them. They surrounded her, that was perfect. She quickly reactivated Salamander and held the sword ready. They were closing in, the blade glowed in a growing inferno. When they were close enough, she spun as hard and fast as she could, a ring of fire blazed out like an explosion, taking them all out.

Cleo panted, feeling dizzy and quite hot for a moment before the cold set in again. She had taken out the last of them. Jack caught up with her. "That was incredible, I commend you for your courage and wit. That battle... I think I went through something like this before."

"Are you saying you're starting to remember?"

"Only fragments... All random... I still do not know who I am..."

"Let's get back inside. I'm cold."

There was no cheering or anything close to a celebration of victory. Instead, there were casualties, mourning. Some of the guards lying on the ground, motionless, were being picked up and carried away silently. The ones who were still alive were wounded and medical assistance rushed to aid them. It was a painful sight and Cleo felt like she was going to throw up. They quickly left the dreadful scene only to run into another one.

There was a cry of despair from inside one of the buildings. Feeling worried, Cleo opened the door and went inside to see what was the matter.

Defross was on the floor in tears, a woman was sneering down at him in malevolent disgust. "You heard me plain and clear. I will never dance with the likes of you! I don't want to see your hideous face again!"